1. The Automatic Electric Can Opener When electric can openers first hit the scene, they seemed like the ultimate kitchen upgrade. Why strain your wrist cranking a manual one when this sleek little machine could do all the work for […]

1. Sleeping on the Roof Back before central air and ceiling fans, some folks figured the coolest spot in the house wasn’t in the house at all—it was on the roof. Especially in cities with flat-topped buildings, families would haul

1. Ashtrays Galore If you were moving into a new home in the ’50s, chances are someone handed you an ashtray before you even unpacked. These weren’t just plain glass ones, either—think ceramic poodles, atomic starbursts, or even a mini

1. Homemade Volcanoes With Real Fire We all remember the thrill of mixing baking soda and vinegar for a classic volcano eruption. But some kids (or maybe their parents) took it up a notch by adding flames to the mix,

1. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab It’s wild to think anyone ever thought a toy containing actual uranium was a good idea, but here we are. The Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab was meant to teach kids about nuclear physics,

1. Birth Control Back in the ’50s, birth control wasn’t just controversial—it was downright scandalous. Even though the pill wasn’t approved until 1960, women were already quietly seeking ways to manage their fertility through diaphragms, spermicidal jellies, and rhythm methods.

1. Knocker-Up Before alarm clocks became a household item, people actually paid someone to bang on their window to wake them up. These folks were known as knocker-ups, and they used long sticks, batons, or even peashooters to tap on